Languedoc is a
historic province in southern France, bordering the Mediterranean Sea
on the south and the Rhône River in the east. MONTPELLIER and
TOULOUSE have long been the leading cities. The southern portion of
the region, Bas (Lower) Languedoc, is composed of a low limestone
plain, where almost half of all French wine is produced. In the
north, in the Cevennes Mountains, sheep raising is the principal
activity.

In 121 BC the area
was incorporated into the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis. By
924 it came under the control of the powerful counts of Toulouse.
Under them, Languedoc developed a rich culture based on its
distinctive language. The region's name is derived from this dialect
of French, the language (langue) in which "yes" is rendered by "oc";
the language of northern France, where "oui" (formerly "oil") is used
for "yes," is called langue d'oil. The troubadour poetry of Langue
d'oc flowered from the 10th to 12th century. During the same period,
the ALBIGENSES, a religious sect, enjoyed a wide following in the
area. In 1209, however, Pope INNOCENT III declared a crusade against
the sect, and Languedoc was subsequently invaded by northern French
troops. By the mid-13th century, Languedoc had been annexed by the
French crown. During the French Revolution, Languedoc was divided
into the departments of Ardeche, Gard, Herault, Aude, and parts of
Haute-Garonne, Lozere, Tarn, Tarn-et-Garonne, Ariège, and
Haute Loire.

Carcassonne in
southwestern France (1990 pop., 43,470), is the capital of the Aude
department and is situated on the Aude River and the Canal du Midi.
The city of Carcassonne is divided by the Aude into two distinct
parts: the Ville Basse, or lower city, which contains the modern
business district, and the Cité, a remarkable medieval
fortress--one of Europe's best preserved, walled cities. Construction
was begun on the Cité by the Romans, with fortifications added
by the Visigoths in the 5th century and the viscounts of Carcassonne
and Béziers in the 12th century. Four centuries of prosperity
ended with the 13th-century warfare of the Albigensian Crusade, and
the French crown took control of the area in 1247. When Roussillon
province, to the south, was annexed (1659) to France, Carcassonne
lost military importance as a frontier city. In 1844 restoration of
the Cité was initiated by the architect Viollet-le-Duc. The
Ville Basse, founded in 1240, is a wine-shipping center, and the
Cité is an important tourist attraction.

Montpellier

Montpellier is the
capital city of Herault department in the Languedoc region of
southern France, about 125 km (75 mi) northwest of Marseille and 12
km (7 mi) north of the Mediterranean coast. The population is 207,996
(1990). A manufacturing and trade center, the city has textile, food
processing, electronic, and chemical industries. It is also a leading
health resort.

Founded in the 8th century on the site of a Benedictine abbey, the
city is formed around a central hub with radiating streets and is
surrounded by a belt of modern apartment buildings and factories.
Long a center of intellectual life, it is the home of the University
of Montpellier (founded 1289), with its famous medical faculty.

Toulouse

Toulouse is a major
city in southern France, on the east bank of the Garonne River, about
600 km (370 mi) south of Paris. The population is 358,688 (1990).
Canals (including the 17th-century Canal du Midi) connect Toulouse to
the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

Since the end of
World War II, Toulouse has become a center of the French aerospace
industry and associated production of electronics and chemicals. The
older established manufactures are leather, shoes, textiles, stained
glass, and machinery. The city serves as the agricultural market
center for the surrounding Aquitaine Basin. Historic landmarks
include the Romanesque Basilica of Saint-Sernin (11th-12th century)
and the Gothic Cathedral of Saint-Etienne, begun during the 11th
century. The University of Toulouse (1229) is the second oldest
university in France.

Toulouse, known as
Tolosa, was an important Gallic city when it was taken by the Romans
in 106 BC. Later it was the capital (AD 419-507) of the Visigothic
kingdom of Toulouse. From the 9th century Toulouse was the seat of a
powerful county and the center of the distinctive Languedoc culture.
In the 13th century, after the crusade against the Albigenses, a sect
widespread in the area, the county was annexed to the French crown.
The city, however, enjoyed virtual autonomy until 1790. The British
defeated the French at Toulouse in 1814. During World War II,
Toulouse was occupied by the Germans from 1942 to 1944 and suffered
considerable damage.